GQ's Presidential Playlist: 04.05.12

Romney swept three primaries Tuesday, and he and Obama are finally going after each other like two front-runners for the presidency. Our playlist still has a song for each candidate running for president, but that might not last much longer. This is your first playlist of the general election.

1) For Barack Obama: "Back Up Plan," by Big Boi. Ever since those Supreme Court justices made ominous-sounding comments about the individual mandate last week, everyone’s been wondering what Obama—whose campaign has been touting the health care plan as a signature accomplishment—will do if the court strikes it down this summer. Tuesday might have been a preview. In a speech to newspaper ecutives, Obama put the hurt on Congressional Republicans "It is thinly veiled social Darwinism. It is antithetical to our entire history as a land of opportunity and upward mobility for everybody who’s willing to work for it," he told them.

2) For Mitt Romney: "Mama Said Knock You Out," by LL Cool J. Don’t call it a comeback. Mitt’s been here for years. Really. And with three wins this week, the nomination seems finally within grasp. So he’s turning his attention to Obama in full, with aides telling Politico he won’t utter Rick Santorum’s name again until he’s thanking the former Pennsylvania Senator for his endorsement.

3) For Rick Santorum: "Halftime," by Nas. That’s how Santorum described where the race was at after losing three states Tuesday at his victory rally in Mars (a town north of Pittsburgh.) "There are no marching bands. We’re hitting the field. The clock starts tonight," he told his Martian supporters. I don’t think this works the way he thinks it works.

4) For Newt Gingrich: "It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday," by Boyz II Men. Gingrich will really miss this, won’t he? There can’t be any other excuse for staying in this long. But—and I think I can speak for the entire media here—we will miss him too. The space-loving, the media-bashing, the sort of self-aware character analysis...it was by far the most compelling sideshow in this entire campaign.

5) For Ron Paul: "I Want Out," by Prodigy. Prodigy is a Ron Paul fan, but he knows Paul probably isn’t going to win. When Paul figures out that this is a waste of time is less clear. His campaign wasn’t active for 18 days last month, according to Fox, but he still says he’s staying in the race.

6) Bonus Track: "(I Just Want It) To Be Over," by Keyshia Cole. It will be—soon.

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